Counting game board apparatus with marker storage recess



y 14, 1970 s. E. KINDELAN 3,520,536

COUNTING GAME BOARD APPARATUS WITH MARKER STORAGE RECESS Filed Aug. 11, 1967 2 SheetsSheet l IIII Q! m w g3 32 4/ O\ 5/ 4o INVENTOR. YSTEPHEN E. KINDELAN w Z mum 36m ATTORNEYS y 1970 s. E. KINDELAN 3,520,536

COUNTING GAME BOARD APPARATUS WITH MARKER STORAGE RECESS Filed Aug. 11, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VENTOR.

STEPHEN E. KINDELAN fiza,% mgmwm ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 273-134 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A game structure in the form of a wheel with an apertured rim and removable spokes that are disposed within a central recess and extending radially from a depressible hub which engages the inner ends of the spokes. A suitable fulcrum is positioned under the spokes so that when the hub is depressed the outer ends of the spokes are lifted out of the recess so that they are easily removed from storage. The spokes removed from storage are inserted into apertures on the rim, where they are used for playing a counting game. The hub may be made of a depressible material, or it may be supported by a coil spring. A fixed or stationary hub 'may be used if the inner ends of the spokes are held by suitable clamps.

In one method of using an apertured game structure for playing a counting game, each player is assigned one or more spokes which are advanced periodically over the apertures of the rim. The extent of each advance is established by converting a selected sequence of letters or numbers encountered during travel, as on the license plates of passing automobiles, into a numerical value. This value gives the number of apertures by which the players spoke is moved. The player whose spokes first reaches a preassigned position is declared the winner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a method and structure for playing counting games and more particularly to a method of play and a game structure in which counting or marker members are stored in the structure, but are, nevertheless, readily accessible and removable when play is to commence.

In many counting games, each player is assigned a marker member that is periodically advanced over a course of play for a number of units determined, for example, by a throw of dice or a hand of cards. The player whose marker member first traverses the entire course is ordinarily declared the winner.

Such is the case with counting games in which the marker members are pegs on an apertured game board. Thus, in cribbage the number of apertures by which each player advances his assigned peg is determined by a hand of cards.

Game boards for playing counting games take a wide variety of forms. The most common configuration is rectangular, with the pegs kept separate from the board itself. This permits the game structure to be relatively compact, but is subject to the objection that the pegs are easily lost. 0n the other hand, the pegs can be stored in an interior compartment, but this can make the structure undesirably bulky. Similar considerations apply to other forms of counting game structures, including those which are circular or spiral.

Nevertheless, the relative simplicity of rules for typical counting games makes them appropriate for use during travel, particularly as a way of occupying the attention of children on long trips. The structure for such counting games is desirably compact and the marker members not easily lost. If compactness is achieved by keeping the marker members separate from their board, the two items will often not be available when they are to be used. Conversely, if the marker members are stored in an internal compartment of the structure, this can pose difficulties of access during travel. Moreover, unless safety catches are provided, the compartment may open accidentally and its contents become spilled.

Another consideration with counting games for travel is that the usual way of determining the advance of a players peg, i.e., by a throw of dice or a hand of cards, has decided disadvantages. Such auxiliary count indicators pose the same problems of storage that are associated with the pegs themselves. In addition, there can be considerable inconvenience and danger in throwing dice or dealing cards when a vehicle is in motion.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to realize a compact game structure that is accompanied by auxiliary members used with the structure.

A further object of the invention is to store auxiliary marker members with a game structure in such a way that the removal of the marker members from storage is facilitated. An associated object is to achieve a compact game structure in which marker members used in playing the game accompany the structure without requiring any internal storage compartment.

A still further object is to provide for the storage of marker members used with counting boards in such a way that it is readily apparent when all of the marker members have been returned to their storage positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accomplishing the foregoing and related objects, the invention provides a game structure with apertures over which one or more marker members are advanced during the playing of a game in accordance with a prescribed set of rules. The structure is adapted for storably receiving marker members in a surface depression and includes a mechanism for holding them in place until they are to be released. The holding mechanism is operable for automatic release of removable marker members and for their transport to a position where they can be removed from storage and inserted into selected apertures of the game structure.

For one embodiment of the invention the game structure is patterned after a wheel with concentric rings of apertures. The structure has a cylindrical recess in one surface which receives spokes that extend to a hub. When the hub is depressible, movable ones of the spokes are tilted so that their ends rise above the rim, and they are readily removed from storage for insertion into apertures of the rim.

The hub may take the form of a spring loaded plunger or it may be of compressible material. The removable spokes are desirably of flexible material so that they form a secure fit with the w all of the cylindrical recess. In addition, the base of th'e're'cess desirably includes a rib to serve as a fulcrum for the removable spokes as the plunger hub is depressed.

In'accordance with another aspect of the invention-a method of manipulating'marker members with respectto an aperture game structure is provided. In this method, marker members are positioned upon" selected apertures of a game board, after which each player in-turn' selects a'plurality of symbols from. one or more objects remote from the position of the players of the game. The information of the symbols selected 'byeach .player is converted into a numerical value that indicates the number of aperture positions by which the marker rnern'berof that player is to be advanced. A method of play which makes use of symbols selected from remote objects is particularly useful in travel situations'for which the source of symbols may be license plates of passing automobiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other aspects of the invention will become apparent after considering several illustrative embodiments, the

description thereof being taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game structure in accordance with the invention; p

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1; on line 22;

FIG. 3 is a partial view of FIG. 2 showing operation DETAILED DESCRIPTION Turning to the drawings, a structure 10 for a counting game in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG.' 1.

The structure 10 includes an apertured base 20 with a 1 surface depression 30 in which individual members 40 are horizontally disposed. The depression 30 serves as a storage recess for certain of the members 40 which are removed from a holding mechanism when a game'is to be played. Thus, selected members 40' have been moved from storage and placed in surface apertures of the structure 10 where they serve as markers according to a prescribed set of rules.

As indicated by FIG. 1, the upper portion of the game structure 10 is patterned after a wheel. It has a' central hub assembly 50 and spokes 40 that extend to an apertur e'd rim 21. Some of the spokes 40 are'removab'le'from the hub assembly 5!). On the rim 21 there are two iconcentric rings of apertures 22 and 23 that receive various spokes 40 which are removed from storage when a game is to be played. It will be appreciated that the disposition of the apertures 22 and 23 is a matterof choice. While only two spokes 40 are shownin FIG. 1 as having been removed from storage, the number of marker spokes actually-employed is determined by the rules of the game.

one whose assigned spoke first reaches a particular posi tion. r 1 Since the marker spokes 40 are stored in a surface depression 3,0 of the structure 10, they are readily accessible.

Moreover, the spokes 40 are storedlongitudinally, promoting compactness of the overall structure ltl ln addition, the spokes 40 occupy discrete radial storage posiaremovable plug25.

of e spring loaded 7 1111552 in $161552 an event, compression of the ,elas'tomeri'chu- .4 1i IJ tions so that it is visually apparent when they have been returned to storage after-agame has'been-completed:

One type of constructiong for the hub assembly 50 is shown by the cross-sectionalview of FIG. 2. For this construction, removable ones of the spokes 40 are transported from storage by'depres'sing the hub assembly 50. The spokes 4tl' eirtend" fronra' centraljhi b 52 over the recessed central portion of'the base member 29 td th'e vicinity of Iacircumferential wall 31;

Those spokes which are-removable V are received: by sockets 51 in the hub-portion '52 of the assembly 50. Their outer ends 41 desirably form a secure fit with the wall 31. This prevents the removable spokes from tumbling from storage if thestructure 10 is inadvertently inverted.

In addition, the' spokes 40 are advantageously positioned against a ridge or rib'26 which servcs as' azfulcrum for spokes displaced from storage by depressing-the' hub Illustratively', the hub: assembly 50 is spring loaded with the hub portionSZ disposed for. upandv down movement in a bore of the base memberZtl. The upward movement of the hub is limited by a shoulder-53,..as urged against a flange 24 at themouth ofthe bore by a spring 54-. The tension 'of the spring 54 is adjustable by turning Particulars of the displacement'of removable spokes from storage are illustrated by FIG. 3. Downward pressure on the hub 52 in the direction indicated by the arrow compresses the'spring 54 and carries the sockets 51' downward. In the case of non-removable spokes, there are no sockets-and thesp'okester'minate short of contact with the hub so that the latter is able to' move freely. As for the removable spokes, they act like levers with respect to the fulcrum formed by the ridge 26 at the'basebf the depression 30, causing the' oute'r ends 41 to be popped from storage in the directions indicated "by the arrows.

The applied leverage can'be controlled by changing the position of the cir'c'ularridge 26. i 1 i To facilitate the displacement of the'rernbvable spokes from storage bythe leverage effect, the spokes "40J'are advantageously of aflexible' material, such as provided by polymer resins or plastics. The'base member 20 may also be of resinous material and formed by either casting or machining. Alternatively, thebase'member ZtLaswelI as the spokes 40, may be of materials such' as wood or metal. It is also possible for the bas'e member and th'e spokes to be of distinctively ditferentcompositions, I

A suitable displacement and transport cited for the removable spokes 'is' also achievedby using, a's jshowfn in FIG. 4, a hub or plunger of elastomericmaterial, iricluding synthetic and natural rubber and various elastic rubber-like plastics such as polyvinyl elastomers, in plaif'e df3fIn that removable spokes downward in the samefashiori as for the spring loaded hub, so that, the removable ones "at the spokes are easily witht lrawn from {their sockets. It is also possible, as shown in FIG. 5 to employa stationary hub 52 with each removable spoke hel dgi n place near its hub end 43 a radially moun ted clanin such as the illustrative .clamp 42, in the depression 30. Each clampAZ inFIG. s mp-shaman general configuration. Once playing spokes have been removed from storage ,andinsertedinto apertures-on the rim, of the, base .mem-

ber 20, as shown by thelspokes 40 offlgi 1,..play-can commence. The ,advance of .the playing spokes is, thereaftergovernedby aprescribed se t .-o f rules.

For-one set of -rules, .each advance ofya spoke ih playing positionis determined. from a, selected set of symbols which can be alphanumeric; s To obtain a numericalwalue vcorresponding to such a set, the letters are first converted to nurn ericalrcounterr parts. In addition, selected numbers ofthe originalialphanumeric sequence may also be converted into other values. The resulting all-numerical sequence is then converted into a single numerical value which indicates the number of apertures by which a spoke is to be advanced. For example, if the letter J is assigned a value of 10, the alphanumeric sequence J 176 can be summed into the value +1+7+6=24. This summation can be reduced to a lower value by discarding all multiples of 10 to leave a net value of 4. Such a procedureis commonly known as modulo 1O arithmetic.

An arbitrary set of numerical equivalencies for the letters of the alphabet is shown entered along the peripheries of the sectors between spokes of the game structure 10 in the plan view of FIG. 4. Each sector, beginning with the first, containing the letters A, B and C, has a set of letters and their corresponding numerical equivalencies. There are three letters in each sector except for the last, which has only the letters Y and Z. It will be appreciated that the location and code conversion of the numerical equivalency information is arbitrary.

The equivalencies shown on the sectors of the game structure 10 of FIG. 4 are summarized in Table 1, below:

TABLE I.CODE CONVERSION INFORMATION Sector locatlou Numerical value HHHH vi-u-n-l 00000004mcmhwmroooowooxzo upww The conversion code of Table I has been selected so that there are two sets of equivalencies for the twentysix letters of the alphabet, ranging from 1 to 9 (for 18 letters) followed by respective sets of four equivalencies for 10 (for 8 letters).

The game structure 10 of FIG. 4 is particularly suitable for playing a counting game during travel in a moving vehicle. In that case the advance of the spokes assigned to the various players can be determined by sequence of symbols provided, for example, by the license plates of nearby vehicles.

Since the game structure disclosed does not have any specially designated marker starting position, it is desirably used with two spokes for each player, or team of players, one spoke to serve as a reference and the other spoke to be advanced relative to the reference.

Moreover, the particular structure 10 of FIG. 4 has only an inner and an outer ring of apertures 22. and 23. Consequently, the structure is most advantageously used by two players, or by two pairs of players, with their spokes confined to the respective inner and outer rings. However, the number of rings of apertures can be increased during manufacture of the structure to accommodate any desired number of players.

To use the game structure 10 of FIG. 4 for playing a cribbage-like game in a moving vehicle, without the need for auxiliary count indicators such as dice or cards, the players, or teams of players, take turns in selecting license plates of nearby automobiles. For each turn, a selected license plate is read and converted into a numerical sequence using the equivalency information in the sectors of the base member (as summarized by Table I). The resulting numerical sequence is scored in the fashion of cribbage and the spoke moved accordingly.

Thus, when a license plate has five or more symbols only four are used. Numbers from 1 to 9 are carried with their own numerical values, but each zero is assigned a numerical equivalency of 10.

In scoring, a pair counts two points, as does any combination of numbers totalling 15. A run of three counts three points, while a run of four counts four. A double run of three counts eight.

For example, a license plate bearing the alphanumerical sequence J5061 converts to the numerical sequence 10, 5', 10, 6 when only the first four symbols are used. The converted sequence scores 6, two points for each total of 15 and two points for the pair of 10s.

Starting from the position indicated by the originating spoke, the playing spoke is then advanced in a clockwise direction around its circle of apertures. The aperture distance between a reference spoke and the playing spoke indicates the players last score while the position of the playing spoke, relative to the starting position, as indicated, for example, by the originating spoke, shows the total score to that point of the game.

The foregoing embodiments of the invention are intended to be merely illustrative, and other adaptations and modifications of the invention, including changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, will occur to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game structure having a course of apertures in one surface thereof over which a marker member is advanced during the playing of a game in accordance with a prescribed set of rules, comprising a base member bearing said apertures and having a circular recess in one surface thereof,

a plurality of removable marker members shaped to be insertable in said apertures and openly stored in said recess, and

means for holding said marker members in said recess positioned radially with respect to the center thereof.

2. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein the holder means comprises means for limiting the lateral movement of each removable marker member openly stored in said recess.

3. A game structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the limiting means comprises a plurality of clamps in the recess of said base member, one for each removable marker member.

4. A game structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the limiting means comprises a plurality of notchesin said base member, one for each removable marker member and receiving the outer end of said member.

5. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member has an upper portion patterned after a wheel and said recess extends to a rim bearing said course of apertures in the form of concentric rings for playing a game with a plurality of marker members.

6. A game structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member has an upper portion patterned after a wheel;

said recess extends to a rim bearing said course of apertures in the form of concentric rings for playing a game with a plurality of marker members;

the holding means comprises a hub with a plurality of sockets formed in the upper portion thereof and being positioned centrally of said recess, said upper portion being depressibly supported in the recess;

7 said marker members comprise removable spokes in- References Cited sertable into said sockets and radially extendable UNITED STATES PATENTS therefrom in said recess to the vicinity of said rim; and D. 156,570 12/1949 Smith 273-148 X said base member includes fulcrum means so posi- 2,223,175 11/1940 Ink 273 '134 tioned that upon downward movement of said hub 5 2,225,422 12/1940 Patzlg 273*135 upper portion the spokes are caused to engage said 2,244,921 6/1941 Roth 273136X fulcrum means causing their outer ends to rise in 2,582,874 1/1952 Loeb 235-90 3,224,112 12/1965 Hanson 273-135 X said recess. 7. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein 10 DELBERT B, LOWE, P E i said hub is disposed on a spring. 8. A game structure as defined in claim 6 wherein U.S. Cl. X.R. said hub is made of compressible material. 273 136 148 

